Dynamic friends

STUNG BY the low turnout in urban India, BJP's prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani (81) on Thursday floated the idea of making voting compulsory for Indians. Though there are many countries that have made voting compulsory, a Supreme Court bench headed by of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan said India records up to 60 per cent average polling and that was satisfactory. The idea of making voting compulsory was immediately rejected by Advaniâs opponents as well.
It is binding on the citizens of countries like Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Costa Rica, Greece, Singapore, Switrzerland and Uruguay to cast the ballot, however, the degree of enforcement varies.
A spokesperson of the Australian high commission said, Australia made voting compulsory in 1924. It is well regarded by the Australians who see it as a part of their civic duty. Those who donâte vote have to pay a nominal fine. There is no sense of infringement of peoples rights.
The turnout in Australia has never fallen below 90 per cent. Meanwhile, Uruguayan ambassador Cesar Ferrer told, With a population of 3.5 million Uruguay has a system of compulsory voting since 1971. In case of no show on poll day, Uruguayans have to justify on a case by case basis their absence or they face a fine.
The Swiss have to pay a fine of three francs, the Argentinians 10 to 20 pesos and Cypriots face a Cyprus £200 fine, while in some other countries non-voters can also face imprisonment, according to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. In Belgium those who don't vote find it difficult to find employment in the public sector and in Greece they have trouble procuring passport and driving licence, the institute added.
A lawsuit seeking compulsory voting had come up before the Supreme Court earlier this month. The court dismissed the lawsuit on the point that greater voter turnout could be brought about by creating awareness rather than enacting laws.